The Senate consists of the following members for July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026:
Five voting members of the Committee constitute a quorum.
Article IX of the Senate By-Laws states:
135. The Committee shall, when deemed appropriate, make recommendations to the Senate on policy and procedures relating to issues of academic integrity, on measures designed to reduce instances of academic dishonesty, and on matters relating to research integrity.
136. The Committee shall review, prior to its presentation to the Senate, the annual Academic Integrity Report and the Research Integrity Report prepared by the Office of Academic Integrity.
Revised: June 5, 2024
131. The Committee on By-laws shall consist of the Chancellor; the President; and four members appointed by the Senate, one of whom shall be a member of the Senate and one of whom shall be the University Secretary; and three members of the Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
132. The Committee shall make recommendations to the Senate:
(a) for the appropriate form of any amendment to any by-law and of any new by-law, of the Senate or of a Council or of a Faculty, that the Senate has approved in principle;
(b) for any alteration of any by-law, of the Senate or of a Council or a Faculty, deemed by the Committee to be necessary as a consequence of any amendment or of any new by-law approved by the Senate or to be desirable for reasons of consistency or the like;
(c) on any matter pertaining to the by-laws of the Senate or of a Council or of a Faculty that may be referred to the Committee by the Senate, or on any such matter that the Committee may deem appropriate for the attention of the Senate.
Revised: June 7, 2023
116. The Committee on Appointments shall consist of the Chancellor; the President; the Provost; the Vice-President (Research); the Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies; and eight other members of the Senate, seven of whom shall be elected faculty members of the Senate and one of whom shall be a student member of the Senate; and six members of the Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof, except when decisions are being made on tenure, permanence, or promotion recommendations, at which meeting eight members of the Committee, one of whom shall be the Provost and one of whom shall be the Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, shall constitute a quorum. In the event of an equality of votes on tenure, permanence, or promotion recommendations, the question is deemed to be decided in favour of the Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committee’s recommendation, notwithstanding the provision of clause 74.
117. The Committee shall nominate the members of the Committee for Nominating a Chancellor in conformity with the provisions of clause 9(a) and shall nominate the members of the Senate component of the Committee for Recommending a President in conformity with clause 9(b). These nominations shall be presented at a Senate meeting, together with a brief statement of each candidate’s skills and interests. No additional nominations may be made at that Senate meeting, but subsequent to the meeting, members of the Senate shall be provided with the opportunity to submit written nominations of additional candidates for inclusion on the slate, provided that such nominations are signed by three members of the Senate. If necessary, an election shall be conducted by the University Secretary immediately following the end of the nomination period. A brief statement of each nominee’s skills and interests shall be provided to Senators along with the ballot. Not more than one faculty member from any one Faculty shall be elected by Senate to the Committee for Nominating a Chancellor or the Committee for Recommending a President.
118. The Committee shall have as a standing order of business the making of nominations for such ad hoc selection committees as are charged to nominate to the Senate those to be appointed to senior academic administrative offices and to the offices of Vice-President (Operations and Finance) and Vice-President (University Advancement). In this context, senior academic administrative offices include those of Provost, Dean and Vice-President (Health Sciences), Vice-President (Research), Vice-Provost, Deans, Director of McMaster Continuing Education, academic Associate/Assistant Vice-Presidents, Associate Deans of Graduate Studies and/or Research, Associate Deans of Faculties (see clause 2(h)), Chair of Undergraduate Council, University Secretary, Registrar, University Librarian and such other positions as are designated by Senate from time to time. The Committee shall ensure that the nominations for each ad hoc selection committee include, as nominated Chair of the ad hoc selection committee, the name of the academic administrative officer to whom the appointee shall report. The Committee shall review, and express its opinion to the Senate on, nominations made by the ad hoc selection committees, before any commitment is made to the nominated candidate.
119. The Committee shall consider and recommend to the Senate on academic appointments, terms of reference, tenure policy, promotion policy, research leave policy, and all matters related to academic appointments. In this context, academic appointments shall be taken to include appointments of Department Chairs and Directors of Schools, Programs, Research Institutes, and Centres, and appointments to named Chairs and Professorships. The Committee shall receive for information reports on the appointment of Associate Department Chairs, Associate Directors of Programs, Research Institutes and Centres, Executives in Residence, and Faculty honorific appointments. The Committee shall recommend to the Senate candidates for the titles of Distinguished University Professor and University Scholar.
120. The Committee shall consider recommendations for appointment to the teaching staff from Faculty or joint-Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committees and shall:
(a) decide that the faculty member is to be nominated for a tenured appointment, a continuing appointment without annual review or a permanent teaching appointment and so inform the Senate; or
(b) recommend to the President that the period of a tenure-track appointment, a special appointment or a teaching-track appointment be extended, and so inform the Senate; or
(c) decide that no action be taken on the case; or
(d) decide that a faculty member’s tenure-track appointment, special appointment or teaching-track appointment be allowed to lapse and so inform the Senate.
121. The Committee shall consider recommendations for promotion from Faculty or joint-Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committees and shall:
(a) decide that promotion is to be granted at this time, and so inform the Senate; or
(b) decide that no action is to be taken in regard to promotion.
122. The Committee shall nominate the membership of the Executive Committee, and shall report thereon to the regular meeting of the Senate in June of each year.
Ex Officio Members Chancellor, who shall be Chair President and Vice-Chancellor, who shall be Vice-Chair
Members Six faculty senators, one from each Faculty One alumni senator One graduate student senator One undergraduate student senator
Consultants University Registrar or delegate Associate Vice-President, Equity and Inclusion or delegate Advisor to the President, External Relations or delegate
Six members of the Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
Revised: April 10, 2024
Article IX of the Senate By-Laws state:
104. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chancellor; the President; the Provost; and eight members of the Senate, appointed by the Senate, of whom at least four shall be faculty members of the Senate, at least one shall be an undergraduate student member of the Senate, at least one shall be a graduate student member of the Senate, and at least one shall be an alumni member of the Senate. Five members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.
105. The Chair of the Committee shall be the Chair of the Senate. The Vice-Chair of the Committee shall be the Vice-Chair of the Senate.
106. The Committee shall act for the Senate between Senate meetings on matters pertaining to the affairs of the Senate, as referred to it by the President, the Senate, the Faculties, the Graduate Council or Undergraduate Council, or committees, boards, or panels of the Senate. Such actions shall be reported at the next regular meeting of the Senate.
107. The Committee shall consider and report to the Senate on any other matter which may from time to time be referred to it by the President, the Senate, or by any committee, board, panel or council of the Senate.
108. The Committee shall nominate members of the Senate for election to the Board in conformity with the provisions of clause 33 and 34.
109. The Committee shall nominate the members of the standing committees of the Senate and the student members of Undergraduate Council as required, with the exception of the Executive Committee (for which, see clause 122) and, where it is not otherwise expressly provided, shall nominate the chairs thereof, and the vice-chairs where appropriate, and shall report such nominations to the next regular meeting of the Senate.
110. After the report of the Executive Committee regarding nominations is submitted to the Senate, the Senate shall appoint the members of all standing committees and boards whose appointment is the duty of the Senate.
111. If a regular meeting of the Senate is not held in June, a special meeting of the Senate shall be held in June to receive and consider the report of the Executive Committee and to appoint the standing committees and boards for the next academic session.
112. The Executive Committee shall also consider requests from students and former students for the removal of transcript notations related to penalties assigned under the Academic Integrity Policy or the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
113. On the advice of the Chair, the Vice-Chair and the University Secretary, the Committee shall adjudicate and decide on any requests, submitted in writing to the University Secretary, by a Senator seeking access to Closed Session Senate minutes of a meeting which took place when that individual was not a Senate member.
139. The Committee on Student Affairs shall consist of the following membership:
Ex Officio Members Chancellor President and Vice Chancellor Associate Vice-President (Students and Learning) & Dean of Students, who shall be Chair
Members Three faculty members, at least one of whom shall be an elected faculty member of the Senate Four student members of Senate, one of whom shall be a graduate student and three of whom shall be undergraduate students.
Consultants President, McMaster Association of Part-Time Students (MAPS) or student delegate
Five members of the Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
140. The Committee has the authority to approve, on behalf of the Senate, minor changes to the Residence Agreement Contract, and will report the revisions to the Senate for information. The Committee has the authority to approve major changes to the Residence Agreement Contract and recommend the revisions to the Senate for approval.
141. The Committee shall otherwise recommend to the Senate policies, and receive submissions, on non-academic issues important to the student experience, including access, equity, belonging and accessibility, conduct, health and well-being, housing, physical space, and transportation.
This responsibility shall include:
(a) developing and periodically reviewing in consultation with relevant student leadership, for recommendation to the Senate, policies owned by the Associate Vice-President (Students and Learning) & Dean of Students, including the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Student Groups Policy, the Policy on Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities, and the Policy on the First Year Experience (Orientation and Transition) for Undergraduate Students.
(b) receiving annually a report from the Associate Vice-President (Students and Learning) & Dean of Students
(c) establishing such sub-committees as may from time to time be deemed.
136.
a) The Tenure and Promotion Appeals Nominating Committee shall consist of six full-time tenured faculty members that:
(i) are normally at the rank of Professor; and
(ii) are appointed by the Senate but not necessarily drawn from the Senate with one from each of the Faculties of Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences; and none of whom, during their term on the Committee, shall be a member of a Faculty Tenure and Promotion Committee or of the Senate Committee on Appointments;
b) Four members of the Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof.
c) The Chair shall be elected by and from the members of the Committee.
137.
(a) When an appeal of a tenure, a continuing appointment without annual review or a permanent teaching or promotion decision has been referred to the Committee, the Committee shall nominate to the Senate the membership of an Appeal Tribunal, composed of three full-time tenured or permanent members of faculty who have not been previously involved in the decision under review and who are at arm’s length from both parties to the appeal. The tribunal in each case shall normally consist of one member from the appellant’s Faculty and two members from outside the Faculty.
(b) Each Appeal Tribunal shall normally report to the Senate within four months of its establishment.
129. The Committee on University Ceremonials and Insignia shall consist of the Chancellor; the President; the University Bedel; and eight members of the Senate, one of whom shall be a graduate student and one of whom shall be an undergraduate student; and five members of the Committee constitute a quorum at any meeting thereof. The University Registrar and the Assistant Registrar, Records shall be consultants to the Committee.
130. (a) The Committee shall be responsible for the planning and conduct of all University ceremonials, including all Convocations; and shall keep under continual review the form of and procedure at such ceremonials and all matters relating thereto.
(b) The Committee shall also be responsible for reviewing and making decisions, or recommendations to the Senate or the Board of Governors, on matters relating to heraldic practice and policy.